Chairs and seats – Crash seat – Force-absorbing means incorporated into back
Patent
1999-07-15
2000-04-18
Barfield, Anthony D.
Chairs and seats
Crash seat
Force-absorbing means incorporated into back
2972161, B60N 242
Patent
active
060506377
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a safety seat, and in particular, relates to a safety seat intended for use in a motor vehicle, such as a motor car.
It has been appreciated that if a motor vehicle, such as a motor car, is involved in a rear end collision, that is to say the following vehicle runs into the back of the car, the occupants of the struck car often suffer from neck injuries. Such injuries are commonly called "whiplash" injuries.
It is to be understood that during the rear-end collision of this type, the vehicle that is struck is subjected to a forward acceleration. This imparts a forward acceleration to the seats of the vehicle. The squab and back of each occupied seat engage the posterior and torso of the occupant of the seat and impart a substantial acceleration to the posterior and torso of the occupant. However, no corresponding acceleration is immediately imparted to the head of the occupant, as the head is not normally in contact with the seat, or with the head-rest that may be provided on the seat. The head is a part of the body that has substantial mass, and consequently the head has substantial inertia.
Thus, whilst the posterior and torso of the occupant of the vehicle are accelerated forwardly as a result of the rear-end collision, the head of the occupant of the vehicle initially remains stationary. This may cause the neck initially to adopt an "S"-shaped configuration as the lower part of the neck moves forwardly, whilst remaining vertical, and the upper part of the neck remains in its initial position. Subsequently, the head begins to rotate and the neck then occupies a curved configuration. The head subsequently moves forwardly. Research has shown that "whiplash" injuries may occur when the neck changes from the "S"-shaped configuration to the cured configuration at a substantial speed.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved vehicle seat in which the relative "whiplash" injuries occurring to the occupant of the seat during a rear-end collision are reduced.
According to this invention there is provided a safety seat for use in a motor vehicle, the safety seat comprising a squab; a back associated with the squab, the back being pivotally connected for pivotal movement relative to the squab, stop means being provided to limit rearward pivotal movement of the back, a motion restricting device being provided which relatively freely permits movement of the back of the seat rearwardly in a pivoting motion towards said stop, but which resists any subsequent tendency for the back of the seat to move forwardly with a pivotal motion away from the stop.
Preferably the motion restricting device comprises a hydraulic cylinder associated with a piston, the piston moving within the cylinder in response to movement of the back of the seat, the cylinder being associated with a fluid flow path which permits flow fluid in one sense through a non-return valve, so that the piston can move easily in one direction within the hydraulic cylinder, and which also permits fluid flow through a throttle, which permits the piston to move in the opposite sense in the cylinder, but against a throttling effect.
Conveniently the said back is mounted for pivot movement relative to support means, the said motion restricting device being adapted to restrict motion of the back relative to the support means, the support means being pivotally connected to the squab to permit movement of the support means, and the back, relative to the squab, without the motion restricting device being operative.
Advantageously resilient means are provided to resist the pivotal movement of the back rearwardly relative to the support means.
Preferably energy-absorbing means are provided to absorb energy when the support means pivot relative to the squab of the seat.
Conveniently the energy-absorbing means comprise a yieldable element located between the support means and a stop.
Advantageously when a force is applied to the seat back the seat back may execute a first movement, moving pivotally relative to the support means, aga
REFERENCES:
patent: 5290089 (1994-03-01), Oleszeko et al.
patent: 5306073 (1994-04-01), Rees
patent: 5366268 (1994-11-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5462332 (1995-10-01), Payne et al.
patent: 5597205 (1997-01-01), Glance et al.
Andersson Sture
H.ang.land Yngve
Autoliv Development AB
Barfield Anthony D.
Kinberg Robert
Spencer George H.
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